Who is Sora?
by WonderousStories
Summary: Before he became Yoite, he was known by another name. This series covers the birth, life, and disappearance of Sora, the child who should have never existed.
1. Birth

With no announcement, the infant was handed to her. She took a long, studied look at her new baby. "Sora...Sora," she cried. She then turned to her husband, "Promise me…promise me that you'll keep our baby. Please, promise me…" "I promise," he replied. She smiled, took one last look at her baby, and consciousness left her.

It had been a difficult pregnancy from the beginning. Early on, her doctor was worried that she was carrying twins. Twins present difficulties in any pregnancy, but especially if it is the woman's first. Although the technology existed for some time now, it was not routinely used. However, this high-risk circumstance warranted it. Therefore, the doctor scheduled an ultra-sound.

During the ultra-sound, the technician pointed out many things from the fuzzy image to the soon-to-be mother. The most important was confirmed, she was indeed, carrying twins. "I wonder if I should tell my husband about this," she thought to herself. "Having twins isn't considered a good thing. Of course, if he asks me directly, I don't think I'll be able to lie convincingly about it."

In the end, she decided to tell him that everything was progressing normally. She didn't want him to needlessly worry.

"How did it go?" her husband asked later that evening. She chose her words carefully, putting on an air of confidence. "Everything is progressing normally," she replied. "One of my co-workers said the gender of a baby can be determined during an ultra-sound," he interjected.

She wasn't prepared for that. The technician didn't mention anything about it. She took a long pause, and then settled on a reply. "It's too early to tell, you're so impatient!" She felt she'd be more convincing if she kept her tone playful. "I see," he replied flatly. She was happy that he pressed her no more. Besides, she had another ultra-sound scheduled in two months. If there was anything to report, she'd tell him then.

. . .

The next month came and went without incident. Her sister, Karina, came for a short visit. "Karina, it's been so long!" she said upon her arrival. "I can't believe it! Wow, you're so big! How far along are you?" Karina replied. "Five months," she told Karina. As she prepared the tea, she thought about how to break the news to Karina. "Karina," she said while waiting for the tea leaves to brew, "I am carrying twins." Karina gave her a wide-eyed stare and said, "Really, how can you be sure?"

"I had an ultra-sound; the doctor said there are two."

"How is your health?"

"I have good days, and not so good days. I'm not particularly worried about myself; I'm more worried about my husband. I don't know how he's going to react when I finally have to tell him."

"Well, you'll just have to cross that bridge when you get there."

. . .

Shortly after Karina left, the problems started. Pain, deep pain, then blood, much blood. She was rushed to emergency and…surgery…delivery…she wasn't sure. The lights were so bright, she couldn't tell. After waiting a few minutes for her eyes to adjust, she looked down at her stomach. Indeed, she was still pregnant. However, something was different. Just then, a nurse entered. "What, what...happened?" she choked out. "I will get your doctor," replied the nurse. She tried to sit up, but couldn't. She felt so weak.

"Ms. Kodo," said the man in the lab coat, "you're a very fortunate young lady." We weren't sure if you would pull through, but you did. Unfortunately, I have some bad news. One of your babies didn't make it. However, the other one is stable. I'm going to keep you here for a few days just to make sure all is well. So please, try to get some rest while you're here. Also, you'll need to take it easy when you return home." She nodded, and with that, he left.

She couldn't comprehend. What happened? She remembered pain, then blood, then nothing. She wondered if her husband had been told about the twins. "I hope not," she thought. Then sleep overcame her.

Her husband came to visit the next morning. He looked more irritated than concerned. "Here you go causing trouble again," he said flatly. She looked away. "So what happened?" he asked. "I don't know," she half-lied, "did they tell you anything?" "Nothing at all," he replied. She breathed a sigh of relief. "I think the baby is ok now," she said. "Good," he replied, walking across the room to stare out the window. Several silent minutes passed, then, without warning, he turned around and left.

. . .

The next few weeks were burdensome. She was supposed to be taking it easy, but that was not possible. With all of her relatives living so far away, there was no one to help with household chores. It wasn't as if her husband was going to help or even be considerate. She wondered why she was even trying. "For my baby," she thought, "I must keep pressing on for my baby."

She had given some thought to names for the twins, but now there was just one. She had to think about new names. It wouldn't be proper to give a twin name to the surviving child.

Once again she awoke with severe pain. This was worse than before, if that was even possible. She awoke her husband, and off to the hospital they went. That night, one life was lost as another arrived. That night, a child was born who killed two before its arrival. That night, an androgynous child of death entered our world, and its name, was Sora.


	2. Death

"Mom…Hello…Mom"

"Hello, what is it dear? How did it go?"

"Mom…"

"Yes dear?"

"…She…she…she didn't make it."

"What!"

Mr. Kodo quickly ended the call. He couldn't say anymore. Saying it made it feel more real, more absolute. "I can't believe it. She's gone; she's not coming back. What am I going to do?" he thought. Just then his mobile rang.

"Hello…Dad?"

"Hello son. Your mother told me. Did she have the baby? Did the baby make it?"

"It's alive, but in an incubator."

"How long will the baby need to stay there?"

"The doctor says maybe a month."

"Why don't you come home son? Your mother wants you to come home."

"Ok."

He wasn't sure if it was ok to leave the baby in the hospital with no visitors, but the doctor assured him it was. "Don't worry, Mr. Kodo, we will take good care of your baby. There is nothing else you can do. Go home to your family. We will call you if there is any news," said the doctor.

When he arrived at his parents' home, the house seemed so unfamiliar. It was smaller than he remembered. Had it really been that long ago? His bedroom was still the same, as was his brother's.

"Oh dear!" cried his mother, "You're finally home! It's been so long."

"Hello mother, I've missed you too."

"Come talk with me while I prepare tea. How is your work?"

"It is good, busy as usual."

"And how is your health?"

"It is good, although lately it has been difficult to eat."

"I can see that!" she said, looking him over. "Don't you worry. You are not alone in this. We are family and we will help you." He breathed a sigh of relief. Then he left the room and wept to himself.

"Do you think he'll be alright?" his mother asked his father. "He'll pull through, you'll see. He's tough," replied his father. "I sure hope so," his mother sighed. "Tea is ready dear!" she called out.

They sat in the open front room around a long rectangular table. For a while, no words were spoken. "We love you so much," his mother said. "I know," replied Mr. Kodo.

. . .

The next day his sister-in-law, Karina, called him.

"We're making preparations for the memorial service," she said.

"When will it be?"

"Next Tuesday."

There was a long pause.

"Hello…Are you still there?"

"Yes, I'm here. I'll be there."

He wasn't in the mood for conversation, but his mother knocked on the door.

"I thought I heard the telephone. Who was that dear? Is everything alright?"

"That was Karina. She said the memorial service will be next week."

"Your father and I will attend also."

"That's not necessary."

"Nonsense, what kind of parents would we be if we didn't attend."

"Thank you."

The memorial service was a somber affair. Pictures of the beautiful, young Mrs. Kodo were everywhere. Mr. Kodo maintained his composure throughout the service by focusing his attention on thanking the guests who attended. Karina, however, did not. She sat at the end of the table sobbing while her parents thanked guests expressing their condolences.

Mr. Kodo noticed her, and led her away to a secluded corner. "My sister, she was too young to die. Why did she have to die so young? Why…why couldn't it have been me instead?" She burst into tears clinging tightly to Mr. Kodo. He held her, and his own tears fell into her hair. Mr. Kodo's mother noticed them, but did not interrupt.

. . .

A week passed. Mr. Kodo continued to stay at his parents' house. Meanwhile, his mother scheduled a family meeting to determine how to best help her son. Mr. Kodo's brother and his wife, and Karina and her parents were in attendance.

"I know that we are still feeling the effects of our loss," began Mr. Kodo's mother, "but I called you here today to focus on our future. As you know, our dear one left us a little treasure to remember her by." Mr. Kodo dropped his head in shame at his mother's attempt at eloquence. "I'm sure you will all want to contribute to help care for this little treasure," she continued. "By the way," she said, turning to her son, "I'm ashamed that I didn't ask you earlier. I was so focused on you and the loss of my daughter-in-law. Do I have a new grandson, or granddaughter?"

Mr. Kodo looked up at his mother with such an expression that it shocked her. Suddenly, all eyes were upon him. He excused himself and went to his bedroom and locked the door. Everyone sitting around the table looked at each other. "He's taking this really hard," his father apologized. Everyone nodded in agreement. Just then, Karina rose and tapped lightly on his bedroom door. "It's me," she said in a soft voice. He opened the door and she crashed into him, hugging him. He closed the door and held her for a while.

"I can tell when something's troubling you," she said, breaking the silence between them. "You know, you can tell me anything." He knew he could trust her and that she'd probably find out eventually anyway, yet it was still difficult to talk about it. So much had happened in this short period of time, he didn't want to make things feel more real by talking about them. However, he knew she wouldn't release him until he did.

"There's something about the child," he began. She released him and looked up at him in expectation. "This child is not entirely male or female," he continued, "The doctor says it is not possible to determine which will dominate, but from the tests and examinations conducted thus far, I should raise the child as a male. Also, your sister was carrying twins, but lost one while she was in the hospital a few weeks before delivery. The doctor believes there may be a connection between this and the condition of the surviving child." A period of silence passed between them. Karina studied her brother-in-law's expression before saying, "Go on." "Your sister," he continued, "I think she knew she wasn't going to make it. She named this child before she died, and she named it the name she was going to give if it was a girl. I don't know if she thought it was a girl. The doctor didn't say anything before handing the child to her. What's more, she made me promise that I would keep the child." He turned away from Karina and muttered, "But I don't know if I can."

They stood in silence for a while. "Something else is bothering you," Karina finally said, "What is it?" He wasn't sure how to tell her. No matter how he rehearsed it in his head, the thought seemed foolish to him, but he felt it in his heart. Turning to her he said, "I know this may sound silly, but I can't help but blame the child for what has happened. I can't look at it without thinking that it shouldn't be here. If it weren't here, I'd have my wife back with me."

"Although I haven't met this child," Karina responded, "I kind of feel the same way." Her reply shocked him. "I don't think the child is evil or anything like that," she continued, "It's just, if I could trade the child that I don't know, for the sister I do know, I would." They stood next to each other, each in their own thoughts, trying to reconcile their feelings.

There was a tap on the door. "Are you two alright in there?" Mr. Kodo's mother asked. "Yes!" they said in unison, and smiled at each other due to the chorus. "Thank you. I feel better after talking to you," Mr. Kodo said. "Me too," Karina replied. The exited the room, Karina first, followed by Mr. Kodo, both smiling. Mr. Kodo's mother looked at them and wondered at what was developing between them.


	3. Life

"Where is everyone?" Karina asked looking around. "They left, it's been an hour," Mr. Kodo's mother replied. "Mom," said Mr. Kodo, "get Dad. I'd like to continue our family meeting." He explained everything about the child and its condition. He also explained his late wife's ordeal with the twins. He withheld his and Karina's personal feelings about the matter since he knew his parents wouldn't understand.

"Like I told you before, we are family, we will help you," his mother replied, "You have no experience with this. Your father and I raised both you and your brother. Bring the child here for a little while, and when you're ready, you can come get him." "Mom, you do know that this baby is premature, it's not like a normal baby," he said. "Do you think your mother has never cared for a pre-term baby before?" his father interjected, "Your uncle, who is only a few years older than you, was born premature and your grandmother was very ill after the delivery. Who do you think cared for that child?" "I see," said Mr. Kodo, "Very well, thank you for the help."

. . .

A few weeks passed and Mr. Kodo returned to his work and tried to get on with his life. Karina came over on weekends and helped him remove some things in the house that belonged to her sister. They laughed about the good times, sat silent when thinking about the bad times, and found solace in each other's company.

Finally, the day came for baby Sora to come home. Karina accompanied Mr. Kodo to the hospital. "Oh my, he's gorgeous!" she exclaimed as she held him for the first time, "Personally, I think you should raise him as a girl." Mr. Kodo smiled and put his arm around Karina as they exited the hospital.

They went straight to Mr. Kodo's parents' house. Karina's parents and Mr. Kodo's brother and his wife were also there. "Announcing, Sora Kodo!" Mr. Kodo's father sang proudly. Baby Sora was passed from person to person over the course of the evening and all present rejoiced over the new addition to their family. However, Mr. Kodo escaped to his childhood room and looked over his childhood things.

"A mother's love runs deep and her children will always be children to her," his mother said upon entering his room.

"Is that why you keep this room and my brother's room as we left them?"

"I'm just sentimental! Besides, who would have known that this room would be used by another little boy?"

"Are you sure you're alright with this?"

"Of course, son. After all, it's only for a little while, until you get your affairs settled. My first grandchild, it's exciting!"

. . .

What was supposed to be weeks turned into months, and what was supposed to be months turned into years. Baby Sora was no longer a baby. He was now a toddler. His grandmother had never seen a child so quiet, so content to be in the company of himself. His father came by to visit about once a month and few times a year he even brought Sora to his house for the weekend. However, he could never quite manage to be around the child for an extended period of time.

Although Sora was normally quiet and content, sometimes he was noisy as any child might be. On one such occasion, Sora was playing by himself, crashing his trucks and making a lot of noise. His father asked him to play quietly. After a while, his father heard him again. "I told you to shut up!" Mr. Kodo yelled banging his fist on the glass table so hard that it broke. The sound of the glass shattering scared Sora and he began to cry. "Look what you made me do!" his father screamed. "I hate you!" he said, shaking the child, "Shut up! Shut up you death child! I wish you had never been born!" Sora never cried in his father's presence again.

. . .

Shortly after Sora's third birthday, his father came to get him for the weekend.

"Mom, I really think he needs a haircut."

"I know dear. It's just, he looks so cute this way, it suits him."

"He's a boy Mom, not a girl. Please cut his hair."

"You sound like your father!"

After the haircut, Mr. Kodo took Sora to his house. He didn't have any food suitable for a young child, so he went to the supermarket nearby. While shopping, he noticed his son smiling, no, more like flirting, with someone. He turned around to see who the child was looking at and he noticed a very attractive lady waving to his son. "He's so cute," she said walking up to them. "Hi cutie, what's your name?" she asked the child. "Sora," the child replied smiling while cocking his head and blushing. His father looked at him in disbelief. "There may be hope for you yet," he thought.

Mr. Kodo introduced himself to the lady and they started a short conversation. He wanted to ask her out for tea, but thought better of it. They parted ways and continued shopping. While in the check-out line, he noticed his son again flirting with someone in the next line. He turned to look, and to his surprise, it was the same lady. She came over to tell Sora goodbye but before she could he asked, "Can I get an ice cream?" His question shocked her. His father seized the opportunity and said, "Sure, why don't we all get an ice cream." Sora smiled, so did the lady, and the three of them set off for ice cream.

While eating ice cream, Mr. Kodo and the lady continued to talk. Sora ate his ice cream quite quickly and wanted more. The lady began feeding Sora what was left of her own ice cream. "He has a good appetite," she said. "Thank you," Sora replied. Mr. Kodo and the lady laughed at the child's reply.

"You're such a charming lady," Mr. Kodo began, "Would it be possible for me to see you again?" "Ah, using your son to pick up women!" she teased. "Honestly, that's the first time I've ever seen him do that," Mr. Kodo replied. "Sure, sure…" she said. "Great!" said Mr. Kodo. "What?...I didn't mean…you're just as bad as your son!" the lady stammered. "Well I guess there's no harm in one date," she mused. They exchanged phone numbers and parted ways.

Although Mr. Kodo's relationship with his son was improving, he still couldn't get over his resentment towards the child. He could never manage to keep him longer than a weekend despite there being a nursery not far from his work. However, he started bringing him to his house on the weekends more and more. He also continued to date the attractive lady.

One weekend, Mr. Kodo arrived at his parents' house smiling from ear to ear. "You're in a pleasant mood, dear. What's going on?" his mother asked. "Mom, Dad, I have wonderful news. I've been dating a charming young lady. I proposed to her, and she said 'Yes!' he exclaimed. "Really?" said his father, "Oh son, I'm so happy for you." "Hold on a moment," said his mother, "you proposed to someone without us meeting her? How could you?" "Now dear," his father interjected, "these are modern times and he's not a baby anymore. I'm sure our son is more than capable of making a good choice." "That may be," replied his mother, "but no one knows a woman like another woman!"


	4. Strike

A few months later, Mr. Kodo and the charming lady got married. Mr. Kodo never mentioned to his parents that the lady also had a son. Her son was a bit younger than Sora, perhaps by a year. Her son was not present at the wedding, although Sora was. Mr. Kodo asked his family not to mention the fact that Sora was his son to any of the other guests at the wedding. He said that it was best for all involved.

The new Mrs. Kodo moved into Mr. Kodo's home, along with her son. Mr. Kodo explained to her that Sora had been living with his grand-parents since his birth and that to Sora, their home was his home. Mr. Kodo said that it was in Sora's best interest to remain in a familiar setting. The new Mrs. Kodo was intrigued with Mr. Kodo's explanation, but did not press him about it.

Mr. Kodo got on well with Mrs. Kodo's son, and soon the three of them became a happy family. Mr. Kodo did not bring Sora to his house after he remarried. He did, however, visit Sora at his parents' house a few times a year.

. . .

One day, while at work, Mr. Kodo received a phone call.

"Hello?"

"Hello. Is this Mr. Kodo?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry. I have some bad news."

"…"

"I live down the street from your parents. I found your phone number in their address book."

"My parents! What happened?"

"They…I'm so sorry…they…died."

"What! No, no, no! Are you sure?"

"There was a little boy living with them, is that correct?"

"Yes."

"Well then yes I am sure. The boy is at my house. Do you know him?"

There was a long pause. Mr. Kodo didn't know how he should answer that question.

"Mr. Kodo?"

"Yes, I'm still here."

"The boy won't tell me anything. He won't even tell me his name. Do you know who he is? Shall I call the authorities?"

"No, no. I will come there as soon as I can."

"Ok."

Mr. Kodo rushed home and explained everything to his wife. Then he packed an overnight bag and set off to his parents' house. He arrived to see his childhood home taped off like a crime scene. The front door was blocked. He went to the next door neighbor's house. "Hello. What happened over there?" he asked. "Oh, you must be their son. I don't know all the details, but the police are investigating," the neighbor said. "There was a child living there. Do you know where he is now?" asked Mr. Kodo. "Oh yes, the lady in the brown house over there is looking after him," the neighbor replied.

Mr. Kodo walked to the brown house and knocked on the door.

"Ah, you must be Mr. Kodo. Please, come inside."

"Do you know what happened?"

"I'm not too sure. The police are looking into it, I think."

"Was it a homicide? Please, tell me. I don't know anything!"

"I'm sorry, neither do I. All I know is, I came home to find the street covered with officers and a boy was standing outside. I went over to inquire and they told me they were trying to sort it out. They had your parents' address book and I offered to contact the relatives and watch over the child. Speaking of which…little boy…little boy…"

There was no answer nor any sign of the child.

"Now where could he be?" said the neighbor to herself.

"Sora…Sora…come here!" yelled Mr. Kodo.

Sora timidly walked in from a nearby room.

"Oh, there you are!" cried the neighbor.

"Sora, what happened?" asked Mr. Kodo.

Sora stared blankly into space.

"He's been like that ever since he came here. He just stares off without a word," said the neighbor.

"Sora, tell me what happened!" demanded Mr. Kodo, holding Sora by the chin so they were face-to-face. Still, Sora said nothing. He didn't even blink.

"Are you the boy's father?" inquired the neighbor.

"Yes. I'm so sorry to trouble you. I see that my son is in shock. My parents were simply watching him for me. I will take him home now and contact the police to get more information. Once again, so sorry for troubling you," said Mr. Kodo while ushering Sora out of the neighbor's house.

"What a strange man!" thought the neighbor.

. . .

Mr. Kodo rented a hotel room and left Sora there while he inquired about his parents at the police station. The officer in charge gave him all the information he had. "A neighbor phoned us saying he hadn't seen your parents in about two weeks. The neighbor wanted us to check on them to make sure everything was ok. Upon arriving, we found your mother on the floor in the kitchen and your father on the floor in the front room. As you know, those rooms aren't that close to each other. It would be unusual for an elderly couple to die of natural causes around the same time for no explainable reason. I know it can happen, but it just didn't seem right? We ordered autopsies, but both came back inconclusive. We are currently investigating foul play, but so far, there is no evidence to support that."

"Did you question the child that was living with them?"

"We tried to while at the scene, but he wouldn't say anything. We figured he probably hadn't learned to talk yet. A neighbor offered to watch him and contact the relatives. Speaking of which, are you related to the boy?"

"Yes, he's my son. You're right; he probably wouldn't be able to tell you much. Please call me if you discover anything new."

"Yes, of course. Mr. Kodo, I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you."

. . .

Over the course of the next week, Mr. Kodo began making preparations for his parents' memorial. He also continued to press Sora for information, but was always unsuccessful; therefore, his suspicions about Sora continued to grow. He kept Sora in a spare bedroom which he outfitted with a keyed lock that could only be opened from the outside.

"Honey, do you think it's wise to keep the boy locked up like that?" asked Mrs. Kodo.

"It's for your own protection. He won't say what happened and for all I know, he may have had something to do with it."

"I doubt he'd be capable of…"

"You don't know what he's capable of! You don't even know him! But I do. I've seen his work. Anyone who gets close to him will meet a tragic end. If you value your life and your son's life, you will keep away from him. Let me deal with my son in my own way!"

. . .

Many people attended the memorial service for the senior Kodos. All of the guests offered expressions of condolences.

"Where is your son, Sora?" asked Mr. Kodo's brother, "I haven't seen him in about a year."

"He's not feeling well, so we decided to let him stay at home. He was very close to our parents so he's having a tough time with this."

"I see. I'll try to come by sometime to visit."

"Yes, please do."

Just then, Mr. Kodo caught a glimpse of Karina, his former sister-in-law.

"Karina!" called Mr. Kodo.

"Oh, hello. Such a shame we haven't kept in touch, and now we meet during such a sad occasion."

"I know. Wow, you're looking more and more like your sister."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No, it's just…"

"So how are things going?"

"Very well. I got married."

"Really? Is she here?"

"Yes, right over there."

"Wow, she's gorgeous! How did you manage to snag a pretty lady like that?"

"It's a long story."

"How are you coping with the loss of your parents?"

"As well as can be expected."

"Any news on what happened?"

"No. They let me enter the house. I couldn't find anything out of place either. But I'm sure that little death child knows something about it!"

"That what?...Who?"

"Oh, Sora, little brat. He was there and he won't say a word."

"Oh, Sora! I hate to admit it, but I kind of forgot about him. I'm such a bad auntie!"

"It's probably for the best. He's up to his shenanigans again."

"Do you really think he had something to do with it?"

He gave her a quizzical look.

"I see," she said, "How old is he now?"

"Five, but he looks like he's two or three. The police didn't question him because they thought he was too young to speak. Can you believe that?"

"Well, maybe I can get some answers out of him. He might talk to a woman."

"Don't bother. I don't want you to get hurt."

"You really think he's dangerous?"

"I know he is. How can I put it? He has a certain expression when he's up to something, like I do when something is bothering me. You can see it, when something is bothering me, just like your sister could. Well, I see that same expression on him when he's up to something. It's strange, because it's my expression. It's like looking into a mirror, even though he doesn't really look like me."

"I guess that's what it's like to have a child. From what I remember, he looks a lot like my sister, which means he looks a bit like me. Maybe, if I talk to him, I can be a mirror for him, you know, draw him out."

"I really don't want you to get hurt. You're special to me."

"How special?"

"You don't want to know. You could get me in a lot of trouble."

"Don't say that! Anyway, let me try. I promise, I won't get too close."

"Ooh, I love it when you speak with double meaning."

She blew him a kiss as she turned and walked away.

"If I could have married her, I would have," he thought.


	5. Accusation

Over the next few weeks, Karina started coming by Mr. Kodo's house to visit her nephew. Mr. Kodo's brother also visited, but not as often as Karina. Mr. Kodo insisted on keeping Sora in his room. His wife was pregnant and he was more adamant than ever about protecting the rest of his family. Karina observed Sora intently during her visits and noticed a few strange things about him. First, he was very polite, a little too polite for a boy his age. Second, he refused to talk about certain deaths in his family and always stared blankly into space at the mention of them. However, he didn't mind discussing, to a certain degree, the deaths of other people, including other family members. Third, although he had never attended school, he seemed to know quite a bit, such as how to read and write simple kanji, how to count, and how to do simple arithmetic. She wondered how he knew such things.

"Shouldn't Sora be in school?" Karina asked Mrs. Kodo.

"His father insists that it is too dangerous."

"You know, he's very smart."

"I know, and clever too. He manages to escape his little prison sometimes."

"He does?"

"Yes. I think he just climbs out the window."

"Really?"

"Sometimes when I'm coming back from errands, I see him walking down the street. Try as he might, my husband isn't going to be able to tie that boy down forever. I'm afraid my husband's actions may very well turn him into the monster he fears."

"I see. Have you been teaching him things?"

"No, he learns well enough on his own. Some of the things he comes up with, you wouldn't believe. He has a lot of talent. Just the other day I was trying to make a third of a recipe and I couldn't figure out how much sugar to add. I was asking myself out loud and he answered me with the correct amount!"

"Freaky!"

"Yes, but for all the things he knows, there's a lot he doesn't. For example, he doesn't know how to love, or be a friend, or trust. He lacks social skills. His isolation has made him very independent. He insists on doing everything for himself. He'd even cut his own hair if he could!"

"So, you don't think that your husband has any basis for his accusations?"

"I don't think he has any evidence. Any woman can die during childbirth, especially following a complicated pregnancy, and elderly couples do sometimes die around the same time. As far as accusing him of killing his own twin, it seems far-fetched. Accusing a baby of killing another baby, you've got to be kidding me!"

"But what about the fact that he clams up if someone mentions their deaths, but he'll speak freely about the deaths of others?"

"I can understand his logic. He's not constantly being accused of killing the other people."

"Still, I think he's hiding something."

"Well keeping him locked up in a room isn't going to make him reveal it!"

. . .

As the weeks progressed, Mrs. Kodo was getting closer to her due date. Mr. Kodo became even more vigilant about keeping Sora separated from the rest of the family. He began clearing out a space in the basement for Sora, claiming that he wanted to use Sora's room for the baby.

However, preparing the baby's room took precedence over clearing out the space in the basement, so when Mr. Kodo moved Sora to the basement, it was still filled with a lot of stuff. There were boxes of knick-knacks, books, and other long forgotten items. Mr. Kodo's real reason for sentencing Sora to a higher form of isolation was revealed in what he told Sora when he moved him to the basement. He said, "Let's pretend you never existed." While Mrs. Kodo knew of her husband's thoughts about the boy, she didn't expect him to openly voice those thoughts to him.

. . .

Mrs. Kodo gave birth to a healthy baby girl. The new baby consumed everyone's attention. Family members from all over came to visit the baby. Some even stayed for a while to help out. With all the activity going on around the house, no one noticed that Sora's younger step-brother, Tsukasa, was visiting him almost daily. He would take scraps of food for him and would tell him about what was going on with the family upstairs. He also told him about his school and his friends.

One day, while recounting the details of his day to Sora, Tsukasa told him that he was having trouble understanding his lesson. Sora asked if he could see it. Tsukasa handed him the book and watched as Sora intently read over it. Then Sora asked him what part he didn't understand. He tried to explain it to Tsukasa, but Tsukasa just wasn't getting it. Finally, Tsukasa asked Sora if he could just solve the problems while he watched. Sora happily agreed. He watched in amazement as Sora completed his homework in half the time it would have taken him to do it. Tsukasa repeated this process almost daily.

. . .

As the new baby got older, Mrs. Kodo had more things to do around the house and less time to do it. Family visits died down and no one was offering to help her anymore. When everyone was away during the day, she would let Sora out of his prison to help her. He was a good worker; she only had to show him once how to do something and he would complete the task perfectly.

As time progressed without incident, her trust in Sora grew and she began to increasingly doubt her husband's accusations about him. However, on one fateful day, while walking past her baby's room, she saw Sora standing in front of the baby while it slept, staring at it. She decided to see what he was looking at. An expression of shock and horror filled her face. She saw her baby with a long cloth around its neck and part of the cloth covering its mouth. The baby was quietly gasping for air as it slept. She turned from the baby to look at Sora, and noticed him watching expressionless.

She hurriedly unwrapped the baby and held it upright. The baby awoke with a cry and began taking in air again. As she soothed the baby, she wondered what Sora's involvement was in the incident and decided to confront him about it.

"Sora, what happened with the baby?"

"…"

"Sora, good or bad, I want you to tell me what happened."

"…"

"Fine! You can explain it to your father when he comes home."

"…"


	6. Freedom

She was hoping the threat would make him speak, but it didn't. She contemplated if she should tell her husband about the incident. She knew that he would partly blame her since Sora was not supposed to be let out of the basement unless it was absolutely necessary. In the end, she decided that he should be made aware of the incident.

Mr. Kodo was fuming after his wife told him what happened.

"How could you! Haven't I told you how important it is to keep him in the basement! Do you even care about this family?"

"I'm sorry, I…"

"You just didn't believe me! Now do you believe me? Or will it take losing one of your own children to convince you?"

"But he won't say anything. Can you at least try to question him to find out what happened?"

"I don't have to question him to know what happened. If you don't remember, I've already lost four family members to that little death child. As I told you before, anyone who gets close to him will die. My parents cared for him for five years and look what happened to them. He killed his own mother. I won't mention the twin since I know you don't believe that's possible. At least now with this attempt, I think I know how he managed the other murders."

"Still, it's just hard for me to believe that a child could…"

"…could be a murderer? Well, let's just wait and see who will be next. Will it be the baby, or Tsukasa, or you, or me, or Karina? Let's ask Sora who it will be. Oh wait, he already tried to tell us today. If only you had waited a few more minutes, then you would have your answer."

"I'm so sorry. I should have listened to you."

"Look, I know it's hard for you. You have a good heart and you don't look for ill intent in people, but this child is different. He feels nothing when he hurts people. He wears an empty, blank stare and feels nothing. You have to trust me on this. You can trust Karina too. We both have lost dear ones to this child and we don't want you to experience that as well."

"I will listen to you from now on, for the sake of myself, and the other children."

"Thank you, that's all that I ask."

* * *

As the next few years passed, Mrs. Kodo was as vigilant as her husband about Sora's confinement. Sure, they fed him, housed him and clothed him, but only as much as they were legally required. He had very little interaction with his family, and none with anyone else. He found things in the basement to amuse himself; old forgotten toys, books, knick-knacks, but after a while he grew very bored with confinement.

He began thinking about a way to escape, and then one day, it came to him. Years earlier, it was easy to get out of the house. The window to his bedroom locked from the inside. He could simply undo the lock and climb out. However, the basement was more of a challenge. The door leading upstairs to the main house could only be unlocked from inside the main house. That was how Tsukasa would visit him. Tsukasa only visited Sora when their father was away and was sure to relock the door after he returned to the main house. The windows were barred so Sora could not escape through them. There was a door that led outside, but it required a key to unlock it from the inside, as well as the outside.

By this time, he had figured out that Tsukasa was trading getting him to do his homework, in exchange for food and company. He didn't mind, since he enjoyed the company and the challenge of the homework. However, he decided it was time for payback. The next time Tsukasa came to visit, Sora decided to execute his plan.

"Tsukasa, your favorite sport is baseball, right? Can you teach me how to play?"

"We need to play it outside; there isn't enough space in here. We could go outside if we sneak through the house."

"That's too risky. I have a better idea. Why don't you try to find the key to this door?" Sora said, pointing to the basement door that led outside, "We won't get caught if we use that door since no one would expect it to be unlocked."

Over the next few days, Tsukasa searched the house for the key. He found many keys, but none of them worked. Upon searching his parents' closet, he found a small box in the back. Inside was a piece of yellowed paper, a photograph of a woman he didn't know, and a key. He had a good feeling about this key. For starters, it matched the color of the lock exactly.

He gave the key to Sora and Sora attempted to unlock the door. Their hopes rose when the key fit easily into the lock. Amazement spread across their faces as the key turned with ease and the door unlocked. Freedom was finally at his fingertips. Sora suggested that they just leave the door unlocked so they could play baseball in the backyard whenever no one else was in the house. Tsukasa followed his older brother's advice.

Over the next few days, Sora escaped outside during the day when his step-mother was out of the house. He got re-acquainted with his neighborhood. It had been so long since he had the freedom to roam about that he never wanted to return home. However, for some reason, he always did.

A day finally came when both parents were out of the house. Tsukasa ran down the stairs leading to the basement, ball and gloves in hand, ready for baseball. Sora sat, expecting him. The two boys went in the backyard and enjoyed a friendly game of catch.

They were able to continue sneaking to the backyard in this way for a long time. They shared many conversations over their games and learned many things about each other.

"Why do you live in the basement?" Tsukasa asked one day, pitching the ball to Sora.

"Because I don't exist," Sora replied, throwing the ball back to Tsukasa.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"'Sora' was the name my mother was planning to give me if I had been a girl, so I'm not Sora."

"But you're here."

"So then, who am I?"

"I don't know, isn't Sora just Sora?"

"Sora doesn't exist."

They continued in silence, Tsukasa pitching the ball to Sora, and Sora returning it to Tsukasa.

Just then, they heard a noise. Someone was opening the door in the house that led to the backyard. Suddenly, their father appeared behind the door and was shocked at what he saw.

"Tsukasa, I thought I told you not to interact with that child. That child is a phantom. If you interact with it again, I will make it so you don't exist too!"

Tsukasa ran into the house, leaving Sora alone in the yard with their father. "Go back to the basement!" Sora's father yelled, "If I ever catch you leaving without permission again I promise I will kill you!" Sora ran into the house and through the door that led to the basement.


	7. Decision

_A/N: Up to this point, you may have wondered why this story is rated 'T.' If you read this chapter, you will understand. While I have attempted to soften the turn of events in this chapter with carefully chosen words, neither you nor I can deny what will occur. So let us continue and we'll get through this together._

Months passed. It was too risky for Tsukasa to visit Sora. When the house was empty, Sora continued to escape his prison through the unlocked basement door that led outside. While exploring the town, he found a place that offered him solace. It was a small place that was open day and night. Soft, soothing light filled its window during the day, and it comforted him to sit and gaze at it. He visited that place as often as he could.

As the months passed Mr. Kodo continued to think of ways to ensure that Sora couldn't enter the main house while he was away. He shared his thoughts with his wife.

"I've decided; I'm going to change the lock on the basement door that leads upstairs. I'm going to switch it to a keyed lock and I will keep the key."

"Honey, do you think that's safe? What if there is a fire? I won't be able to let him out."

"It's the best I can think of. Do you have any ideas?"

Just then, the doorbell rang.

"Oh, hello Karina," Mrs. Kodo said as Karina entered the house.

"Hello," Karina replied.

"Karina, it's so nice to see you. You came at a good time. We were just discussing how to prevent Sora from entering our house," Mr. Kodo said while motioning Karina to join him at the dining table.

Karina and Mr. Kodo sat at the table while Mrs. Kodo prepared tea in the kitchen.

"So, I think we should change the lock to the basement door that leads upstairs to a keyed lock. I want to keep the key," Mr. Kodo said, filling Karina in on the discussion.

Then he whispered to Karina, "I don't trust that she'll keep him in there. She's let him out before."

Karina nodded. Mrs. Kodo returned with the tea.

"I don't think that's a good idea; it's too dangerous," Mrs. Kodo said, explaining her viewpoint.

They both looked in expectation at Karina.

"I think there's a bigger issue at hand," Karina began, "How long are you all going to let this continue?"

"What do you mean?" asked Mrs. Kodo.

"We all agree that it is dangerous to allow Sora to interact with others," Karina continued, "Despite the fact that he looks so young, he's not. He's 13, soon to be 14. Also, he's very clever. You've done a good job protecting everyone so far, but what are you going to do as he gets older? And what kind of life will he have? How _long_ will you let this continue?"

Mr. Kodo began to understand Karina's line of thought. On the other hand, Mrs. Kodo looked confused.

"I understand," said Mr. Kodo, "you've given me a lot to think about Karina."

"Wait!" began Mrs. Kodo, "What are you two getting at? Karina, you're not suggesting we…"

"Be reasonable," Karina interjected, "Think about the future. Even if you don't believe he is responsible for all those deaths, even if you don't believe he is responsible for trying to kill your own daughter, there is something you can't deny. He is not normal. What kind of life could he possibly have in his condition? You won't be able to hide and protect him forever. How do you think people will treat him when they find out? How will he react; will he attack them as well?"

The three sat in silence for a long while. Finally, Mr. Kodo decided. "This is a family issue," he began, "and as a family, we will take care of it." He went to the kitchen and returned with a knife.

"Right now?" Mrs. Kodo said as the color left her face.

"If not now, when?" said Mr. Kodo. Mrs. Kodo nodded reluctantly.

Mr. Kodo walked towards the basement door, unlocked it, and began walking down the stairs. Mrs. Kodo followed, Karina in the rear. Upon hearing all of the footsteps, Sora got up and stood against the wall. Never before had so many people entered the basement while he was there. He knew something was up.

Clever as he was, he could have never guessed at what was coming next. In a fit of rage, his father yelled, "Death Child!" and came at him with the knife. Sora flinched, but could not avoid the blow. He felt the sting, the burn, followed by dizziness, as his life began flowing out of him. He fell to the floor, clutching the back of his neck. He looked up to see his aunt, Karina, standing over him. "You killed my sister, your own mother! " Karina yelled, "If you weren't here, she wouldn't have died. You should have never existed!" She knelt over him, and once again he felt the sting, almost in the same spot.

Upon hearing the commotion and seeing the door leading to the basement wide open, Tsukasa flew down the stairs. Shock overcame him as he saw his mother, father, and Karina all standing, facing Sora, who was sitting on the floor panting and holding the back of his neck. Suddenly, the three adults turned around and looked at him. "Tsukasa!" Karina yelled, "He tried to kill your sister. You have just as much claim as we do. You do it too." She placed the knife in Tsukasa's hand. He looked at it, stained as it was, and then he looked at his step-brother, Sora, sitting on the floor in pain.

He didn't know what to do. As far as he knew, Sora didn't do anything to deserve this. Suddenly, it came to him. He looked at the door, the basement door that led outside, the door that was supposed to be locked, but wasn't. He had returned the key to its spot after he gave it to Sora to use. Only he and Sora knew that the door was unlocked. Then he looked back at Sora.

Despite his pain, Sora noticed and began to slowly stand. Tsukasa ran to the door as fast as he could and opened it and stood outside. Adrenaline raced through Sora as, in a blur, he ran out the door, past Tsukasa, and down the street. He continued down the street towards the boulevard, where people were usually present. However, right before he could make it, his adrenaline spent, he collapsed to the ground, breathing faintly.

_A/N: I hope you have enjoyed reading this adaptation thus far. The next chapter will be the final chapter._


	8. Wish

Everything went black, but he could still feel his breath against the cold pavement. Then, he heard footsteps and distant chatter. Although blurry, his sight returned. He looked up into the eyes of a man; was it his father? No, this man's eyes were different, they were kind and concerned. Slowly, the blackness returned.

* * *

He awoke to bright lights and soft beeping. Trying to raise his arms, he noticed wires attached to them. He traced the wires as they led to machines, some with numbers, some with lights, some with both. He heard far away voices. Something about this place made him feel uneasy, although he didn't understand why.

"Ah, so you're finally awake?" said the lady dressed in a lab coat. "Where am I?" Sora asked. "You're in a hospital," the lady responded , "but don't worry, you'll be back to normal soon." "Back to normal?" he thought, "What was normal? What happened?" Suddenly, images flooded his mind and the memories came back to him. "Will they send me back?" he wondered.

As the days passed, the wires decreased. He observed the different nurses as they came and went. In silence, he watched their every move and soon he learned how to disconnect the wires. Although this place was better than his home, there was something about it that made him feel like he was in another prison. Therefore, he began to plan his escape.

Shortly after nightfall, he disconnected the remaining wires that attached him to the machines, and then he made the bed. He walked towards the window and went behind the curtain to check for the location of the latch. After spending several minutes trying to find the latch, he was interrupted by the sound of a man's voice.

"It's good to see that you're recovering so quickly," said the man. He had heard that voice before, but couldn't place it. He peeked from behind the curtain and saw a man, about the same size as his father, but with kind eyes and a gentle expression. "You'll be able to go back home soon," the kind man said. "Home…" Sora thought. Sora's expression puzzled the man. "You do know where you live, right?" the man asked? Sora shrieked back behind the curtain.

"I see," said the man, "You don't want to go back home. Well then, where do you want to go?" There was a long pause. Faintly, just above a whisper, the man heard the boy say, "I want to disappear." "You want to disappear? Why do you say that?" asked the man. "Because I never really existed to begin with," Sora answered, "No one ever noticed when I was around and no one wants me around. So I…I want to disappear."

The man thought about that for a moment, then said, "Hmm. I may be able to help you, but I need something from you in return. I need you to promise me that you will apply yourself to my training and work diligently and obey me. Can you do that?"

The boy nodded.

"Good. If you do as I command, then I promise you, in the end, you will disappear."

With that oath, Sora, the child who should have never existed, was carried away by the wind, disappearing into the night.

* * *

_Epilogue:_

He was forgotten by all, save one. Tsukasa, his younger step-brother, could no longer take the blame and taunts he was receiving at home. "You are the weak one that let him get away. If we get caught, it will be your fault. Your little sister will suffer because of you!" Karina often told him. "You should have died on the street with him!" his step-father would say.

He found a job that paid barely enough and rented a small apartment in a run-down area. With him, he brought all of his belongings: his clothes, his baseball, and his glove. He also brought three things that didn't belong to him: the yellowed piece of paper, the picture of the woman he didn't know, and the key to the basement door of his parents' house that led outside. For some reason, he felt like he was entitled to these things.

After he unpacked and put away all his things, he came across the small box that contained the things that didn't belong to him. He unfolded the yellowed paper and then looked at the picture, and suddenly, he was almost certain who the woman was.

_A/N: I hope you have enjoyed reading this adaptation of Sora's life. I know it doesn't completely follow the manga, but I think this version is a little more probable. The first paragraph of the first chapter came to me in a dream. After awaking and thinking, "Did I just see that?" I started to postulate the rest of the story. It was definitely fun to write!_


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